Engraving-machine.



No. 816,307. PATENTEflMAR. 27, 1906. W. S. EATON.

BNGRAVING MAGHINE.

APPiIULTIOH nun (1.23, 1905.

m INVENTOH JUGS/FEW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. EATON, OF SAG HARBOR, ,NEW YORK.

ENGRAVlNG-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 19(16.

' Application filed August 23, 1905. Serial No. 275,348.

1'0 :56 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. EATON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sa Harbor, in the county of Suffolk and State o New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engraving-Machines,

of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accom anyvide an attachment of this character wherein the relative position of the tool and the work as a definite and uniform basis for the subsequent feed of the tool foinregulating the de th of cut may be established throu h an e cotricall -actuated annunciator, eitfieraudible or visi is, without subjecting the point of the tool to the injurious effects of that spark which is incidental to devices wherein the tool itself forms a part of the electrical circuit.

A further object is to rovide an attachment of this character w erein the opposed contacts will present substantially fiat engaging surfaces, thus tending to minimize the sparkap, thus both avoiding undue s arking and rendering the attachment capa 1c of determining more accurately the relative position of the tool and the work.

A still further object is to rovide an attach'mcnt of this character w erein the current is used intermittently solel for the purpose oi establishing a basis for't e re lation of the feed of the tool, having a mova le con-- tact-piece opposed to the work or other con tact, which is interposed between the work and the tool and normally spaced away tilel'-l from and is capable of bein moved or swung so as to present a clear fiel for the advance:

ment of the tool in the regulation of the depth and the taking of the out and the subsequent operation oft e cutter-head and its tool. 7

The invention consists, primarily, in era bodyin in an engraving-machincariojnially open electrical circuit including therein "a movable contact of known thicknessarranged adjoining the tool, a contact opposed thereto, and an annunciator, said movable contact being normally s aced away from said opposed contact an adapted to be interposed li o. ?28,556, dated May 19, 1&(33.

between the tool and said opposed contact and to be actuated by the adjustl'nent of the tool, and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts, as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto ap ended. W n the accompanyin drawing 1 have shownfth' application o my invention to the type 'of'engravm -machine atented to me in and by Letters atent of t e United States drawin s, (1 indicates the su port for the cuttcr-hea or spindlewarrier ii, which is movable in ways in said su port through the le ver 0 and a treadle an dink system. (Not shown.)

*The cutter-head b carries a spindle d,driven by means of the step ed pulley e, and carries a chuck f for the'too g. The extent of feed of the cutter-head is controlled by a plate FL on the support a and an adjustable micrometor-stop 1., adapted to engage the said plate,

said head beingfnorrnally supported through said stop, said plate, and a spring 1.

Mounted beneath the cutter-head is a universally-movable work-bed (indicated at 1 upon which the plate to be engraved, as k, is mounted and secured.

' A detailed description of the foregoing mechanism is not entered into, as such forms no part of the present invention, and this articular type of machine is shown merely as illustrating one application of the invention.

The plate I; is insulated from the work-bed by ash'e'efl, of parafiined paper, glass, vulcanit; Brother similar material, or other n eans'jare employed to insulate the plate or its support or other opposed contact from "the rest of the machine.

7 Arranged adjoining the cutter head b and the tool g, carried thereby, and normally spaced away from the plate i: or other opposed contact is a flat spring-steel contactpiece m of known thickness, which is movable relative tosaid tool, so as to be capable of being interposed between it and the plate it in a mansfrre'eeese the tool to force it "into engagement with the said plate or other oppose contact and to ermit it to be "moved or swung to one si e to give a clear field for the subse uent advancement of the said head and too .7 Preferably this mov able contact is mounted on the cutter-head t by means of a rotary sleeve n and a stud 0, carried by'said head and insulated therefrom In said by a block p of porcelain, vulcanite, fiber, or similar material. Said sleeve n is slotted, as shown, to limit the movement thereof through a pin 0, carried by the stud o, and is provided with a handle it to facilitate the operation thereof.

Preferably the contact m is shaped so as to project considerably below the sleeve 11, and that portion thereof directly beneath the tool 9 is curved to insure an engagement thereof with the plate It or other opposed contact at a point directly beneath said tool.

The plate k or other op osed contact and the spring m are arrange battery g through the terminal wires 9 q" g, which circuit also includes therein an annunciator r of any desired form, preferably an ordinary electric bell, the circuit being normally open by reason of the spring m being spaced away from the plate 7c except in setting the tool. A low-tension current is preferably used as tending to avoid a spark-gap of sufficient width to materially affect the accuracy of the attachment. This attachment is designed for use more especially on an engravinganachine for making plates for undersurface printing, wherein great accuracy is required to insure the cutting of all the letters and characters on a plate at the same depth throughout to secure the retention of the ink in proper quantities after the plate has been wiped to avoid a mottled appearance of the imprint therefrom. In such a machine the variance of a thousandth part of an inch is material and may destroy an entire plate. The operation of the attachment will be described with relation to such a machine, an effectively-designed type of which is shown in my aforesaid patent and in part in the accompanying drawing.

The plate 1c having been secured in any desired manner on the work-bed with the insulation l in place, as shown, it is placed in circuit with the annunciator 1', battery q, and contact m by placing the wire q in electrical connection therewith in any desired manner. The sleeve n is turned upon the stud 0, bringing the spring-contact m under the tool g, said sprin being flexed sli htly to pass thereunder an upon being re eased springs upwardly into engagement with the tool, being out of contact with the plateJc.

The entire cutter-head is then brought downward toward the plate In through the lever c and against the tension of the spring 'i normallysupporting said head, the micrometer-stopg, being withdrawn proportionately with the advance of the cutter-head to an extent to permit the toe to force the centact into enga ement with the opposed contact the plate %thus closing the circuit from the battery q through the wire g the spring m, the plate 7c, the wire q the annunciator 1", and the wire q to the other battery-pole, ac-

in circuit with a ator of the relative position of the tool and the work, such being distant from each other the thickness of said contact m, which, as stated, is of a known thickness. With this known distance as a basis for the subsequent adjustment of the tool g with relation to the work the head is permitted to be returned to its former position by the spring i, thus breaking the circuit. The micro meterhead is then set at zero to indicate this basis for subsequent adjustment and the step i further withdrawn to the extent of the cut desired to be taken plus the known thickness of the spring -contact m. The machine is then ready to begin the engraving rocess, except that the sprin -contact m sti l projects into the operative eld of the tool. This contact having erformed its sole funtion is therefore swung aterally by means of the handle n, leaving a clear field for the advance of the tool and preventing the closing of the circuit 1 thereby.

It will be observed that the flexibility and I the slight curve of the said spring-contact permits its use with tools of different lengths and insures the presentation downwardly of a fiat portion directly beneath said tool, thus avoiding a contact thereof with its opposed contact when the tool is distant from the contact-surface of the work more than the thick ness of said spring. The extended contactsurface of said spring also minimizes the s ark-gap in making contact, thus insuring s ightly greater accuracy than is possible when pointed tools form a part of the circuit.

It will be further observed that with a contact member interposed between the tool and the work-plate there can be no sparking at the point of the tool with resulting injury thereto, inasmuch as this member must be removed from the field of the tool before the initial cut, no convection occurring between the tool and the work-plate during the routing out of the latter.

t is not my intention to claim, broadl the use of an electrical circuit for accurately determining the relative osition of opposed contacts in instruments 0 precision, such being well known in the arts, nor is it my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction and combination of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. In an engraving-machine, means for establishing a basis for the adjustment of the tool comprising a normally open electrical circuit including therein a movable contact of known thickness arranged adjoining the tool, a contact opposed thereto, and an annuncia- 65 tuating said annunciator to apprise the operl tor, said movable contact being normally spaced away from said opposed contact, and adapted to be interposed between the tool and said opposed contact whereby movement of the tool will force said contact into engagement with said opposed contact to close the circuit and actuate said annunciator.

2. In an engraving-machine, means for establishing a basis for the adjustment of the tool com )rising a normally on electrical circuitinc uding therein a movable flat springmetal contact of known thickness arranged adjoining the tool, acontact op osed thereto, and an annunciator, said move is contact being normally aced away from said opposed contact and a a ted to be interposed between the tool and said op osed contact whereby movement of the toowill force said contact into enga ement with said opposed contact to close t e circuit and actuate said annunciator.

3. In an engraving-machine, means for establishing a basis for the adjustment of the tool com rising a normally 0 on electrical circuit inc uding thereinamova le flat springmetal contact of known thickness havin a curved end and arranged adjoining the too a 03,39 tact opposed thereto, and an annunciator,

. Sai ova tablishing a basis for the adjustment of the tool comprising a normally open electrical circuit including therein a movable contact of known thickness mounted on the cutterhead and insulated therefrom, adjoining the tool, a contact opposed thereto, and an annunciator, said movable contact being normally spaced away from said 0 posed contact and adapted to be interposed between the tool and said op osed contact whereby move ment of the too will force said contact into engagement with said opposed contact to close the circuit and actuate said annunciator.

5. In an engra'vingmachine, means for establishing a basis for the adjustment of the tool comprising a normally open electrical circuit including therein a movable contact of known thickness pivotally mounted on the cutter-head and insulated therefrom, adjoining the tool, a contact opposed thereto, and an annunciator, said movable contact being normally spaced away from said opposed contact and adapted to be interposed between the tool and said op osed contact whereby movement of the too will force said contact into engagement with said opposed contact to close the circuit and actuate said annunciator.

6. In an engrai ing-machine, means for establishing a basis for the adjustment of the tool comprising a normally 0 on electrical circuit including therein a movalilc fiat springmetal contact of known thickness pivotally mounted on the cutter-head and insulated therefrom, adjoining the tool, a contact opposed thereto and an annunciator, said movable contact being normally spaced away from said 0 posed contact and adapted to be interposed etween the tool and said opposed contact whereby movement of the tool will 'force said contact into engagement with said opposed contact to close the circuit and actuate said annunciator.

7. In an engraving-machine, a cutter-head a tool carried thereby, a stud thereon and insulated therefrom, a work-support, an insnlated rest for the work thereon, a sleeve irotally mounted on said stud, means Whereby said sleeve may be turned on said stud, a flat s ring-metal contact piece carried by said sleeve and having its free and curved, of means establishing a basis for the ad justment of said tool comprising a normally open electrical circuit including therein said contact-piece, a contact on said rest, opposed thereto, and an annunciator, whereby move ment of said tool will force said contact-piece into engagement with said opposed contact to close the circuit and actuate said annunciator.

In witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature, this 16th day of August, 1905, in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM S. EATON Witnesses: V

F. T, Wnnrwon'rn, GEORGE P. Bnnonnnamon. 

